Rupert Murdoch, Sky News And The Avaaz Myth: What’s Your Agenda?

RUPERT Murdoch says that if his News Corporation gains control of BSkyB, he would hive off the Sky News channel into a new independent company in which it would retain a 39% stake. And his firm will fund the channel for 10 years. Great. We get lots of telly – and the option to pay for it if we want to or not. The BBC gets a genuine rival – although we do have to pay for the BBC. And Channel 5 (owned by Richard Desmond, who also owns the Muslim toilet bashingDaily Star) gets the chance to be the right-wing news channel the left wing media loves to moan about.

Meanwhile, outside the Financial Times Media and Broadcasting conference at the Marriott London Grosvenor Square Hotel, London, AVAAZ.org is protesting.

Their mission is to stop Murdoch:

In 48 hours, nearly half the British mass media could be bought by one of the world’s worst media moguls.

Rupert Murdoch has exploited his vast media empire to push war in Iraq, elect George W Bush, spread resentment of muslims and immigrants, and block global action on climate change. He undermines democratic government across the world by threatening elected leaders with vicious and often false media coverage unless they do his bidding.

Well, all media has a prejudice. Who says Israel always leads the running order on the BBC news? And sticking with Israel, why does Avaaz highlight the Israeli’s blockade of Gaza but not the Hamas blockade?

But the best bit is this bit:

Britain plays a key role in Europe and the world.

Well, it did in the 1930s. Britain is not a great power. Does anyone sane think the British could invade totalitarian China? We once went to war with them over opium. We even owned Hong Kong. Now we have an aircraft carrier with no planes and a Prime Minister whose job is to look tough and then ask the EU and the UN if it’s ok.

The petition goes on:

If Murdoch has a lock on British media, he will use it to undermine UK, EU and UN support for human rights and democracy. The UK is up in arms over the Murdoch bid, and even the government, elected with Murdoch’s help, is split down the middle as it makes a decision this week. Global solidarity bolstered Egypt’s pro-democracy protesters — it can help Britain’s. Let’s build an urgent global outcry to stop Rupert Murdoch. Sign the petition to Prime Minister Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Clegg!

But he will not run Sky News. And as for Avaaz:

Avaaz—meaning “voice” in several European, Middle Eastern and Asian languages—launched in 2007 with a simple democratic mission: organize citizens of all nations to close the gap between the world we have and the world most people everywhere want.

You mean, like Facebook, but neither as accessible nor as effective? And, no, Rupert Murdoch does not own Facebook. He bought a dog called MySpace. And do you really want one court of public opinion and action for all humanity in all countries? Isn’t something about that a little unnerving..?